Fluid-fuel-regulating system.



T. H. FERGUSON.

FLUID FUEL HEGULA'TING SYSTEM. APPLlcATloN FILED mp1. |914.

1,243,396. Patented oct. 16,1917.

. l 2 SHEETS-SHEET u H. FERGUSON; FLUID FUEL HEGIJLTING SYSTEM.

l .APPLUJM'HEN HLED IVEB. 7. 19N. M 1,243,396. -Y Fammi oen 16,1917.

sl' Ll THOMAS H. FERGUSON. OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

FI.UID-FUELREGULATING SYSTEM.

Application filed February 7, 1914.

To ad Lr/on/ it may confer/L:

Be it known that I, 'l`uou.\s ll. linucusox` a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Portland, iu thc county of l\lultnomah and i, Stateof Oregon, have invented certain new and useful lmprovemei inFluid-Fuel- Regulating Systems. of which the following` is aspecification.

y invention relates to fuel control apparatus for furnaces adapted tothe cousumption of liquid fuel, and has for its ohiect the economizationof fuel through means employed for automatically regulatin thecon'ibustion. My invention is appli (mle to furnaces heated by lirly lfuel 0r oil burner in which the tuer is .ed by steam generated by thefurnace, and it comprhends novel means for regulating the l draft of thefurnace, the How of oil, and the Supply of steam relatively to theoperative requirements of the apparatus, and all lookinU-towarduniformity of combustion and, in consequence thereof, toward economy ofoperation.

-"What 4constitutes my invention will be hereinafter specified in detailand succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1. is a front elevation ot' a furnace and boiler equipped with apreferred form of embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section, of my steam and oilregulator, directed particularly to illustration in detail of the\`stam-acti1ated damper, control mechanism.

.laton threadedan oil vvalve shell Figr 3 is a vertical section,partially in elevation, of my steam and o i] regulator proper. p

Referring to the characters 1 th- 'lrawings, 50 indicates a. built-jufurnace., provided with usual draft doors 51 and a vllue 47. Thepresence ofa. boiler isindicated by the numeral 4:1, and' a damper 4.2having a counterweight 44, is shown as provided Within theliue 47. Theparts above described may be of any usual or preferred type,construction and dimensions. Coming now to consideration ofinstrumentalities more directly involved iu my invent ion, 1 indicatesthe main steam shell of my regu- To its upper end, preferably, Vis 2,and to its lower end, preferably, is united, as by similar means, thecrown 5, of a diaphragm case Whose lower part is indicated by thenumeral 25. A crown of bolts 5a uniting the Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917. Serial No. 817,248.

parts 5 and secures between them a fiexible diaphragm 24 whichoperatively divides the diaphragm case. Upon its lower side thediaphragm 24 is supported by a spring 27 seated in a reinforcing cup orplate 26 disposed against the diaphragm and a cup 29 adjacent to the endof the case-member 25 which carries coaxially an adjustment screw 32. Aguide core 28 extends from the plate 2li through the spring 27to limitthe adjustment of the cup .29 which is recesseifl for the reception ofthe lower end of the core. Apertures 30 and 31 with cup 29 andrasc-n'ieml'ler respectively, provide constant atmospheric pressurewithin the member 25, or, in other Words, upon the spring-engaging sideof the diaphragm. 24.

Above said diaphragm a. nut 33 abutting against a. washer 34 threaded toa reduced end of the core 28 which penetrates the diaphragm and unitesthe core and parts appurtenant thereto. 10 indicates a valve stem which,at its lower end, screws into the empty upper end of the nut 33 and issecured by a lock nut 22.. Passing with a piston-fit th'rougl'i `thebottom of shell 1, the stem 10 extends to a ball valve 8 within theshell 2 and is connected thereto. 9 indicates the valve seating part forthe valve 8 and establishes conm'lunication between compart` ments a.and of the shell 2. A pipe G united to the shell 2, as indicated at 7,makes couununication between the conipartment a and a source of liquidfuel supply, preferably under pressure, not illustrated. A ipe ll isadapted to deliver the liquid fuel rom compartment ZJ of the shell 2after itpasses the. valve 8 to any burner adapted'for its combustion andnot illustrated but assumed to be in proximity, purposes, to the boiler4l.. The stem 10 in passing through the shell Zbelow the compertinenturaltes a stcamtight-lit so as to shut oil' conununieation between therespective contents of the shells 1 and 2.

A, partition wall o divides the interior of the shell 1 into twochambers d and e, the former communicating through a steam supply pipe13 with the boiler 41, and the latter making 17, operativeconununication with the illustrated burner above referred to as beingconnccted likewise with the pipe 11.

The partition c is perforated by a. valve seating port 18 which iscontrolled by a valve 16, secured, as by a nut 15., to the stemoperative for heating l0. The disposition ot the respt-etive valves` 8and lf3 u pou lheirromumn stem l() 1s such as to provide.y throughrruiprmfation ol' the f stem. for the simultaneous opening and rios ingof the ports J and 1S. respectively. and thereby a,Simultaneous supplyot 't'uel and .'steam'to the respective pipes ll and l?, whois@relative, size, may he made the means contemplated ,tor regulating therelative. quantities of the. suppl \y ot earh. The rhumher l is inoperative eonnuuni lation with the diaphragm 24, as through a steam duct23, in they bottom ot' the shell 1.

1Q, indicate a recording;r steam gage or register which7 being wellknown in the art as a means of recording fluid pressures, may he of anypreferred type. and is unueeessary to fle/Scribe herein.

The ahove described mechanism constitutes apparatus for the automaticregulation, in the manner hereinafter desrrihml, ot steam and tuelsupplvv with econoomI results and is in so tar completion itself. hut lpre fer to simplify those results hy the invor- Y flows poration withthe steam regulai ion at" means for controlling the. damper 12. wherein'the generation ot Steam is a lieoted at' its s'ourre.

Accordingly l provide the shell 'i with a branch 14 which terminates inthe upper half of a. regulator shell 3, with whirh a lower half 4 isunited to confine hetween them a Hexible diaphragm ,11). plunger 3T isoperativel)7 united to the diaphragm 19, as hy a hutton plate Ztl, uponthe. redueed vend of the rod and a uut 2l threaded thereto. The plunger3T is transversel)v penetrated hy a hearing' aperture l() whoseopposite. sides engage a lever 35 that is pivoted.l as indiated at f"luiwt-en lugs' lf) h v whirh hinge ronnertion is made at its lower endwith a rod 4.5 whose lupper end in` in.` a like manner. `ronneeted witha crank arm 43 of thel `damper l2.

The operation ot' taff apiaratus may he understood from the followingdescription. Liquid tuel or oil is' freely admitted through 'the pipe,(i to the tou'iparlment fr whenee it into eon'ipartiuent o and through.pipe l1 'for ronslnnption. it the valve S he open. Likewise steam fromboiler 41 through vpipe 13 lenters rhauiher l and thence.passingvtorhamher n. it' the. `valve 1G he open,v issues through pipe 17 and isled away` to'serviee in conjunction with the oil .supplied through pipe1.1. The pipes (3 and thrneo is derived from the pipeS 17 and il.respectively.

- lSteam pressure from the chamber l enter ingr through tle vduct abovethe diaphragm 24 tends to close the` valves 8 and lo. liv the aid of theadjustment screw i2 the spring 2T may be set to the desired resistaneeto counterbalance the steam pressure upon the side ot the diaphragmopposite the sprinzgr 2T. ln this wav. h v halaneing` the steam pressureagainst the spring pressure the pressure of steam necessary to rlose thevalves may he deteruiined and preserihed. (`onsecplentl v the eomhuStionsupported 'trom the ontents of pipes ll and 17 `n|a v be keptautoxnatically regulated and thes'team pressure in the boiler atsubstantial uniformity.

A further cheek upon steam generation ma)v he imposed h v operation ofthe damper 4;. and I,l therefore` contemplate the use of the auxiliar)`regulatorembodying the diapiragxul 1U tor that purpose. Steam pres-.sm-ll in the rhaiuher Si is normali)v maiutained a ronsiderahle extenthelow the pressure in the boiler or on the diaphragm 2i. due to (hepoint` oi" its rolnmunit-ation with the regulator ras-ing; ahove thevalve 1G: but upon the opening r ol said valve. due to a failing oli' otthe steam pressure in the boiler` the. pressure in the chamber 3'increases and the diaphragm is depressed to umintained drive the plunger4H out\vardl This com uiunifates niolio'n to the lever 35. whi'h` inturn. through the rod 45. tends to open the damper 42. I draft otthe'thle 4T preparatory to an increase of heat under the boiler ll. sthe press-arr inrreases in pipe l pressure, will also iurrease ondiaphragm '24. thereby1 pullin e' down valves 8 and 1G. As the valves b"and 'lo are rlosing. pressure is then decreasin;y on diaphragm 19.therein allowing the halaure weight il to t'all hachY and close thedamper li whirh routrols the heat in tlue il. keeping the hot gases tromescaping to -th atmosphere. as in Common praetire, and

.52. which rises to the regi-sterilig gage '12.

and h v reason ot the rising' and falling of the diaphragm 2l. due tovariations in pres-y sure thereon. the pointer will register on thechart the amount oi opening in parts 9 aud lia. and thereby indirateth!` amount of oil being consumed.

lu the operation of my deviceit will be rl`he ettert is to increasethe..

apparent that the fuel supply may be fed by l gravity, or pressure, asWell as by stearr.. Steam passing through the port 18 and on to theburner is necessarily reduced in pres- Isure where it enters the pipe 14and is controlled by the position of the valve 16.

The pressure of thev steam below the valve 1G and the oill above theball valve makes a balanced construction Which is easily operable by thediaphragm Iand readily responsive to slightfluctuations in the pressureof the steam. The damper is Well balanceo. and a slight movement of itscontrolling diaphragm 19 results in a considerable movement of the same.By using a reduced pressure to o erate the diaphragm 19 I am assured ofsu icient pressure, even when the boiler pressure is low, to effect thedesired results. The supply of steam pressure to said diaphragm `19 isdependent upon the pressure of the steam passing directly to the burner,and thus the movements of the damper Will be in exact accordance Withthe re uirements of the flame.

t `vill be understood, of course, by one skilled in the art, that uponproper adjustmtnt of the screw 32, in the rst place, the variations ofsteam pressure and consequent `movements of the valve stem 10 will beslight and vibratory or of momentary duration. I prefer for that reason,among others, to employ the recording gage 12 .Whose record willindicate the variations of steam pressure, .and serve as a guide to anoperator in `making any re-adjustment of the screw 32 in order to securethe best results in operation. l

Havingthus described my invention what l claim and desire to secure byLetters latent is- 1. The combination with a boiler and a burner for thesaine, of a fluid fuel regulating system, comprising Ia steam pressureopelated diaphragm, a spindle on or e side of the diaphragm, separateoil and steam inlet chambers, and a beveled seated valve for controllingeach of said chambers operated by the spindle, said steam inlet beingbelow its valve arri the oil inletvabove its valve, whereby thepressure. of'theoil and steam acts upon opposite faces of, the valves toeffeet a colluferlmlancc.

'2. lThe. combination with a boiler =and a burner therefor, of a fluidfuel regulator comprising a steam pressure operated diaphragm, separateoil and steam in lct chaml bers, a spindle on one side of said diaphragmpassing through said cl'ianibers, bevel-seated val-vesI operated by saidspindle for control ling the passageways through saidV chamlars. andseparate steam and oil outlet chambers internlediate the inlet chambers,sa id steam 'andoil inlet chambers being positioned at the outer sidesof their respective valves, whereby the steam and oil enter theregulator in opposite directions and art upon the faces of theirgespective valves to effect a counterbalance.

3. The combination with a boiler and a burner therefor, of a fluid fuelregulator comprising a steam pressure operated diaphragm incommunication with the boiler, separate oil amlsteam inlet chambers, aspilt dle on one side of said diaphragm passing through said chambers,valvesl operated by said spindlev for controlling the passagevvaysthrough said chambers, separate steam and oil outlet chambersintermediate the inlet chambers and communicating with the burner, anauxiliary flexible diaphragm operated by steam pressure supplied solelyby the steam outlet chamber of said regulator, and a draft devicecontrolled by said auxiliary diaphragm.

at. The combination with a boiler and a burner therefor, of a fluid fuelregulating system comprising a easing, va steam-pres` sure operateddiaphragm therein in communication with the boiler, a steamy inlet forsaid casing also in communication with the boiler, a steam outlet forthe casing in direct communication with the burner, a valve between saidinlet and' outlet chambers operated by the diaphragm to control the,passage of steam therethrough whereby the valve is closed When thesteam pressure in the boiler is high and opened when said pressure islow, and a supplementary lloxible diaphragmand casing for controllingthe operation of a damper adjacent to the. burner, saidca-sing havingcommunication with said steam outlet chamber for supplying steam underpressure to oierate said supplementary diaphragm, Where y the openingand closing of the damper is made dependent upon the pressure of steamin the burner. i

The combination with a boiler and a burner therefor, of `a fluid fuelregulator, comprising a steam pressure operated diaphragm, separatesteam and oil passageways leading to the burner, and a beveled 'seatedvalve in each of said passageways controlled by said. diaphragm forregulating the admission of oil and steam to the burner in' accordancewith the variations in the pressure of steam in the boiler, said valvesbeing so arranged as to receive the pressure of the steam and oil fromopposite directions to effect a counterbalance of the forces when,operation of the valves are in closed position, and each of said valvesbeing of equal area on its opposite lfaces, whereby they areindependently balanced when in open position.

f. 'Ihe combination with a boiler and a fuel burner therefor, means forsupplying an admixture of steam and oil to said burner in regulated'quantities-in vaccordance with tho pressure demands of the boiler, adraft 4 '1,243,396 ,b (hariw fur Suhl lmriwrE und menus cuulrullmlHtviun uml oil is (zut off :md when the boiler liv stv-11u'. |'irvssurvfrom smid burner tu :wtupressure is low the Steam und Oil are admit ul'usixil llrnltlcrima tml lo th(l burner, and means controlled by T. Tho.combination with n lmilur uml n thu rL-igiil-(ltwl :uid reduced steampressure in 15 5 liquid liyilrmrnrlmn l'ucl hui-um' therefor, furl theburner to actimto u draft device lherefor.'

supply ine-.ms for unid burma-1n,nwnnsfnrsup- In testimony lwreof Iulrlx my signature. lilyiuglj :stv-1m frum the holler to sind burner inthu presen@ of two witnesses. lo linx \\|t.h thi furl.V iur-Luisrogulntml by THOMAS 1l. FERGUSON. boiler prifsmirulmcontrollingthpassngeof 4VVitnessSieS: 10 steam mul ml uit() :nulliurucr so that. 'when EDWIN E. HECfguElri, the boiler pgfssure is highthe passage of H. A. ARMSTRONG.

